body fat percentages?

muth3rluvx2
muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I have one of those really cool scales that shows weight, body fat & hydration..
When I first got it, I came in at around a 24% body fat and now it's reading 23.2%. Since I have no idea how this works in the sense of how much is considered alot, a little, marginal, etc... can someone help me determine what kind of range a .8% loss is? I know its reasonable to lose 1-2 lbs a week (I haven't lost a thing btw - my ticker says I did due to a glitch this morning and I refuse to change it for the sake of motivation!), but I know nothing of the equivalent in body fat.

Also, I know there's not "spot treatment" for the specific areas one might want to tone or lose in - and I'm discovering I'm losing inches ONLY in my hips. Again, no weight..... and my clothes fit no differently (my thighs & waist haven't changed). I measure my hips in 3 places - the upper section to include the tummer and upper hip bone, the indented (cello hips here) space that includes the glutes, and then again the wider point that is more where the tops of the thighs meet the hips but alot of women struggle with. I've lost inches in all 3 places so this isn't an error or my imagination and I always measure several times just in case I got the tape crooked or misplaced or ..whatever.

So if someone can help me understand what's going on, I'd greatly appreciate it. i would be alot happier if either the scale moved (and NOT up!) or my clothes started to fit better. Right now, these are just numbers without meaning. :-(

Replies

  • smae1980
    smae1980 Posts: 794 Member
    I'm not an expert, but from things I've read it seems that somewhere between 16 and 20 percent body fat would put you in the "atheletic" range for a woman what weight this would be would depend on the individual.
  • SnuggleBunny
    SnuggleBunny Posts: 55
    I find that my body fat % varies depending on how well moisturized my feet are :grumble:

    Take your 0.8% fat loss times your weight and that should tell you how much fat you've replaced with lean tissue. This is a good thing. Sometimes tape measurments are the best marker of progress.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    Why does it matter? You lost BODY FAT which is what most people want to lose!!! What kind of exercises are you doing? If you're losing body fat but not seeing a difference in inches or weight, that means you're replacing the fat with muscle - which is good! Work on incorporating more cardio, but keep doing strength training (if you aren't - do it!!) so you're losing fat and building lean mass.
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    I find that my body fat % varies depending on how well moisturized my feet are :grumble:

    Take your 0.8% fat loss times your weight and that should tell you how much fat you've replaced with lean tissue. This is a good thing. Sometimes tape measurments are the best marker of progress.

    Came up with 108.. somehow I just don't think that this is *quite* accurate.. LOL! :laugh: :tongue:
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    Why does it matter? You lost BODY FAT which is what most people want to lose!!! What kind of exercises are you doing? If you're losing body fat but not seeing a difference in inches or weight, that means you're replacing the fat with muscle - which is good! Work on incorporating more cardio, but keep doing strength training (if you aren't - do it!!) so you're losing fat and building lean mass.

    It matters because I like to be educated about what's going on with my body and why. It's not just results I'm after but what the results mean. Without that information, then I'm just guessing at what I'm doing rather than replicating what I know for a fact works with my body and my metabolism.
  • smae1980
    smae1980 Posts: 794 Member
    Did you multiply by .8? If you are multiplying a percentage you have to move the decimal. Multiply by .08
  • smae1980
    smae1980 Posts: 794 Member
    Sorry that's .008
  • borisda
    borisda Posts: 122 Member
    Hi I'm the same I have a set of scales that tells my body fat ( normally in low 20's) a hand grip device ( reads normally mid to low 20's) and I use the one in Boots chemist and this normally reads 16 - 15% . which is correct if any? A simple thing turns into a mine field HEEEEELPPP!!!!!!
  • DizzieLittleLifter
    DizzieLittleLifter Posts: 1,020 Member
    I googled at home body fat test (or something like that). I found a site that has you measure and input things like your wrist, neck, waist, thigh, etc. I don't know the name of the site, but I'll try to find it again. Off topic, how did you get/make your avatar?

    I was able to find it.

    http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/home-body-fat-test-2774-143.html
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    Sorry that's .008

    Oh yay.. a whole 1.08. HAHAHA! Unrealistic, I kinda' liked the 108 more. :-p
    Thanks for this little tidbit. Which math explained all the why's.....
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    I googled at home body fat test (or something like that). I found a site that has you measure and input things like your wrist, neck, waist, thigh, etc. I don't know the name of the site, but I'll try to find it again. Off topic, how did you get/make your avatar?

    I was able to find it.

    http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/home-body-fat-test-2774-143.html

    lol.. I just found the ouline online and copied it into paint and added the lines & measurements.

    I'll check out the url - thanks!
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